Swimming device



Sept. 15, 1931.

c. F. GLAESER SWIMMING DEVICE Filed Oct. 23, 1930 lwumkoz Glass-er Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES CHRISTIAN F. GLAESER, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO V SWIMMING DEVICE Application filed October 23, 1930.

This invention relates to a swimming device intended principally for use by small children when bathing although it may be used by any one unable to swim.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this character including'an inflated tube to be disposed about a person beneath the arms in order to sustain a person while in the water and prevent danger of 10 drowning together with a carrier for the tube adapted to fit about a person and retain the tube in its proper position.

Another object of the invention is to so form the carrier for the tube that it will in some respects resemble a bathing suit and, therefore, may be easily put on and when worn will not be liable to slip out of place.

Another object of the invention is to so form the upper portion of the carrier that it may be firmly secured about the inflated tube and prevent the tube from slipping downwardly out of its proper position beneath a persons arms when in use.

Another object of the invention is topermit the tube to be firmly held in engagement with its carrier but at the same time allow it to be removed in case it becomes punctured and needs to be repaired and further permit a worn out tube to be easily discarded and a new one substituted.

Another object of the invention is to permit shoulder straps to be firmly applied to the carrier and adjusted according to the size of the person wearing the device without 55 danger of the shoulder straps tearing loose.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a device of this character to which a safety line may be applied and thereby permit a small child to play in the water without 40' danger of being carried outwardly toofar.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the H improved swimming device worn by a person,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the device partially in section and partially in elevation, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Serial No. 490,716.

This improved swimming device consists briefly of an annular sustaining device 1 adapted to be disposed about a persons body beneath the arms and a carrier 2 for the sus-. taining device formed of fabric and adapted to fit about a persons body, as shown in Figure 1, and supported by shoulder straps 3. The sustaining device in the present illustration consists of a rubber tube constructed similar to the inner tube of a tire and having an inflating valve 4 through which air may be pumped into the tube and which serves to retain the air in the tube after it has been inflated. This tube may be of the proper dimensions to fit about a small child or it may be of sufiicient size to fit about a large child or full grown person and must have sufficient buoyancy when inflated to sustain the person when in the water.

The carrier is formed of thin fabric, such as cheese cloth or any other light weight material having sufficient strength for the purpose, and consists of front and rear sections 5 and 6 and an upper portion or collar 7. The front and rear portions are of a duplicate construction and are seamed together along their sides, as shown at 8, and have their lower portions terminating in tapered extensions sewed together, as shown at 9, to form a crotch strap 10 and form leg openings 11 through which a persons legs are passed when the device is put on. The upper portion or collar 7 is formed from a piece of fabric which. is substantially square in out- 4 line and has its margins hemmed in order to prevent raveling. Thecentral portion of thissheet of fabric is cut out to form an open ing corresponding in size to the diameter of the upper end of the body and this inner margin of the collar and the upper portion of the body are folded, as shown in Figure 4, and sewed together to form a seam 12 which firmly unites the collar to the body andprojects inwardly of the body, as clearly shown in, Figures 3' and 4. This not. only forms a strong connection between the body and. the

collar but also provides the carrier with a thickened portion about its upper edge consisting of a plurality of layers of fabricto which the rear ends of the shoulder straps may be sewed and to which buckles 11' for engaging the forward ends of the shoulder straps may be attached without danger of the straps or buckles tearing loose andallowing the carrierto slip downwardly out of place about a person when the device is in use. The corner portions 7 of the collar project outwardly over the sustaining ring or float 1 and are extended downwardly and inwardly about the same and provided at their ends with short straps or tabs 18 for engagement with buckles 14 which are attached to the upper portions of the front and rear sec tions in such positions that when they are engaged by the straps or tabs 13 they will'be disposed beneath the sustaining ring or float,

as shown in Figure 3. It will thus be seen that there has been provided a swimming device which the user may step into by passing his feet through the legopenings 11 and then draw the body portion or carrier upwardly to'dispose the float or ring 1 beneath the arms and feet passing the straps 3 over the shoul' ders engage their' forward ends with the buckles and tighten them sufficiently to retain the device in its proper position. The sustaining ring or float will thus be disposed about the chest and back beneath the arms in such position that a person will be well supported in the proper position for swimming and will not be liable to drown if swept out into deep water. A tab or loop 15 is sewed to one of the extensions 7 of the collar and through this tab is engaged a ring 16 to which alight rope or strong cord 17 may be tied so that if a small child is wea-ringthe device a grown person sitting upon the beach may hold one end of the rope or this end of the rope may be tied to a stake driven into the ground. Therefore, even if the child should be swept outwardly into deep water, there will be no danger as a person may grasp the safety line and draw the child back toward the beach. This will also give confidence to the child and he will learn to swim very quickly. 7

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. A- swimming appliance comprising an annular buoyant element of a diameter to fit about'a persons body, a carrier forsaidrelement adapted to fit about a persons body bet-weeirthe arms and legs and having its lower portion formed with leg openings, the upper portion of said carrier being surroundedv by the buoyant element and having portions extending over and about the buoyant element and secured below the same, and shoulder straps having their ends connected to'the carrier adjacent the-buoyant element, the straps being suflicient-ly short to retain the buoyant element in place under a persons arm pit. Y

2. A swimming appliance comprising an annular buoyant supporting element to fit about a person below the arms, a carrier for said supporting element having a tubular body of a length to fit about a persons body from the arms to the legs and being formed with leg openings at its bottom and having its upper portion surrounded by the supporting element, portions of the carrier being extended transversely about the supporting element and releasably secured tothe body of the carrier to retain the supporting element in place about the top ofithe carrier, and shoulder straps to support the carrier, said straps beingsufiieiently short to retain the supporting element in place under a persons arms. 3; A swimming appliance comprising an annular. buoyant support-ing, element to fit about a person below the arms, a carrier for said supporting element having. a tubular body to fit about a person and having leg. openingsat its bottom, a' collar about the upper portion of said body having its inner marginal portion seamed to the upper edge of the body and having tapered portions extending outwardly about the supporting element and secured to the body, and shoulder straps secured to the seam. connecting the body and collar.

4. A swimmingappliance comprising an annular buoyant supporting element to fit about a person below the arms, a carrier for said supporting element having a tubular I body to fit-about. a person and having leg openings at its bottom, a collar about the upper portion of said body having its inner marginal. portion seamed to the upper edge of the body and having'portions extending outwardly about the supporting element and secured to the body, fasteners secured to the seam at the front of the body, and shoulder straps having their rear ends secured to the seam at the back of the body and theirfront end portions releasably engaged with the fasteners.

In testimony whereof I. afiix my signature.

CHRISTIAN F. GLAESER. a s.] 

